Port Orange Homeowners Can Expect More Flood Damage – 'says Mayor'
P.O. Homeowners Can Expect More Flood Damage – Mayor
. . . .The Dunlawton drainage project is among $30 million in stormwater improvement projects undertaken by the city since 2004, including also the first phase of a project to improve drainage in the Cambridge Basin. But the 2010 study, concluded the city needed to spend an additional $23 million.
Ruth Street residents such as Mike and Dianne Gardner, who had water flow into their garage last week, said the flooding in their neighborhood was worse than 2009 and are questioning the effectiveness of the Dunlawton drainage project.
“I expect the city will delve deeper into this on Tuesday night but the reality is that to spend $2.8 million and to have things be worse is unacceptable,” he said.
Mayor Allen Green said he doesn’t think the city can totally eliminate the risk, especially during extreme weather events.
“Were the gates open and closed at the exact right time? Probably not,” he said. “Could you improve the results? Probably. But for people to think it’s going to correct everything for every event, it’s not going to happen.”
Read more at http://www.news-journalonline.com/article/20141001/NEWS/141009912/1040?p=all&tc=pgall
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To David Harden, Bob Ford, Drew Bastian Don Burnette
From Hank Springer
I hope the city council members will speak up in the next city council meeting and strive for “probable” improvement in the city’s flooding problems. It is distressing to read that the mayor of Port Orange stated that results can be improved, but homeowners should not expect correction “for every event”. Please make it clear to worried citizens that the past event was not a biblical deluge which only Noah’s Ark could deal with. This was not a hurricane, but merely a lot of rain in a short period of time. This has often been the problem in the city’s flooded areas and those who do not work in construction or are construction engineers should resent the millions of dollars spent to not remedy flooding during heavy rains.
It is somewhat unsettling that the Mayor is warning present home owners and possible new home owners in Port Orange not to expect that their homes will not suffer flood damage in the future.
If this is the case, then we might ask that no more future developments take place in Port Orange, because more concrete will only add to our flooding problems. I wonder if the building of the apartment complex on Caramel Ave. added to this flood zone problem.
Need I point out the area on Dunlawton between Spruce Creek Rd and the RR tracks is part of a major evacuation route for the beachside communities of Daytona Beach Shores and Ponce Inlet?
The Altamira development area has tied up the main artery to I 95 on Dunlawton Ave., and really shows to me that we do not need any more development in Port Orange. The vision of Port Orange for more and more construction has finally caught up with reality.
It would be nice to hear a city council person state publicly on behalf of citizens that he is tired of finding mistakes involved when things go wrong in the city of Port Orange. I hope the city council can find out on behalf of the citizens why the flood gates were open or not open when they should have been. “What difference does it make” should have gone back to Destin Florida some time ago.
It would be nice if statements from city council members on behalf of citizens be heard louder than some heart felt opinions on blogs. I urge city council members to change the culture of the council to expressly start representing citizens of Port Orange and not a governmental system which has brought us to the state of present tensions.
Sincerely, Hank springer
Posted www.popdradiolog.com 817 pm 10 2 14
The one time he speaks up and issues a statement, he ends up looking like a damn fool.
He’d be better off keeping his mouth shut.
I liked Mayor Green so much better when he was a “we can do it” kind of leader, as opposed to the “we didn’t do it” or “we can’t make it better” kind he has become. Maybe it is just time for him to pull the curtains closed and step off the stage. We need a mayor with passion, enthusiasm and spirit. One with a sense of character to admit mistakes and the strength to face and fix them! I have voted so many times for Mr. Green, but just not sure I would do it again.
OMG “Need”,
You are a mind reader…
I was just finishing this post when I saw yours…
I, like President George W. Bush, do not want to engage in the “soft bigotry of low expectations”. I don’t like it when applied to any group of human beings…I don’t like it when its applied to any government entity……why Mayor Allen Green would want us to expect less rather than more from our city government when it comes to solving problems escapes me. I purchased here in 1979 and paid a premium to do so because I was told this was a very well run city that did things right.
Surely we do not want to lower our expectations of what our city and its staff can do. I believe Port Orange can achieve anything it wants to. If only it has the will. Including solving our flooding issue here on Dunlawton and the Ruth Street/Powers Avenue neighborhood. I was raised by a member of the Greatest Generation, the men and women who survived the Great Depression, built the Hoover Dam, and won WWII. Surely our tasks here are less than theirs. Come on Port Orange. Raise your expectations. Don’t listen to that kind of negativity from the Mayor or anyone. Let’s hold ourselves accountable. We can do this!! And anything else we need to do.
Dianne
It continues to snowball into an “us vs. them” situation
Us is the common citizen vs them – the politicians and city leaders.
It is US who need to continue to hold THEM accountable.
One form of accountability will occur on Novemner 4th at the voting polls.
I keep thinking nothing more can shock me about the way the City of Port Orange is run and then I read something else! We live off Dunlawton in the Powers/Ruth St. area. Fortunately our home was not affected by the flooding, but everyone around us was. I still drive around and see people trying to mend the damage done my the water and mud.
The morning we all woke up to this mess a little dazed and wondering what happened to all the money that was spent stripping 10 acres of land that was filled with wild life and beautiful trees, the only people we saw that were concerned about US was Bob Ford, Scott Stiltner and Bob Burdette. I sure didn’t see Sonya Laney? I guess we’re not in an affluent enough area for her to lower herself to come see how we were. Maybe she was holding another BBQ!!! On top of that, I now find out she’s Allen Green’s God Daughter!! When does this all stop. The only reason Green wants Bob Ford out is because he doesn’t go along with all his hairbrained schemes and speaks up about it! We need to have good people on our City Council that are not just another of Green’s yes man! Enough is enough!!